ZIP code
52530
in Agency, IowaPopulation 945
52.02/ 100
Ranked #13,421 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 42%)
Ranked #498 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 46%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
What defines this ZIP
Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.
Radon
3.2 pCi/L
in the top 8.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST35thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Loud transportation noise
1.9%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
9.9%
in the top 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
0.7 mi
in the bottom 31% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS31stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›The read
Agency, Iowa (ZIP 52530) ranks in the top 42% healthiest ZIPs nationally (13,421st) and the bottom 46% of Iowa (498th).
The bright spots in the data define much of the story here: housing-cost burden rests in the bottom 10.1% nationally. Crowded housing lands at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Modeled housing insecurity settles in the bottom 17% nationally, and poverty rests in the bottom 18% nationally. On the other side, modeled radon lands in the top 8.2% nationally, loud transportation noise settles in the top 7.9% nationally, and transportation noise rests in the top 8.7% nationally. Modeled arsenic lands in the top 13.0% nationally. Recreation settles at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Physicians rests at the national minimum, shared with about 38% of ZIPs.
For context, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 52560, about 3.4 miles away.
What’s driving this score
Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 81%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 75%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 66%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 41%
16%
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 17%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 37%
11%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 69%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 90%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 46%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 56%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 38%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 18%
14%
Disability
healthier than 39%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 39%
5%
“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
52501
Iowashares a border
Score 46.75
Closest healthier
52560
Iowaabout 3.4 mi away
Score 55.44
Similar health profile
12414
New York98% similar profile
Score 51.96
How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured
Evidence
Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.
Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 31.5% | 28.2–35.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.7% | 32.7–40.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.7% | 9.7–11.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.2% | 9.0–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.8–8.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.0–9.5 |
| Depression among adults | 20.3% | 17.3–23.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.7% | 10.9–14.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.7% | 35.6–43.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.5% | 32.1–45.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.6% | 8.5–12.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.7% | 5.4–8.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.8% | 79.2–84.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.4% | 76.2–82.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.1% | 84.3–88.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.8% | 64.7–74.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.2% | 63.7–70.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.7% | 71.5–84.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.1% | 15.3–21.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.5% | 12.9–18.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.3% | 22.9–32.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.8% | 28.8–41.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.8% | 16.1–21.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.9% | 13.9–17.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.2% | 12.4–16.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.6% | 11.7–15.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.3% | 27.0–35.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.0% | 7.9–10.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.9% | 6.8–9.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.1% | 12.9–17.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.2–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.0–5.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.1% | 19.8–27.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 8.7–12.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.3–11.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.8–9.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.2–7.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.5% | 28.1–37.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.7–6.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 4.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 21.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 10.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 60.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 23.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 45.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $98,125 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $192,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $825 ($614–$1,113) n=771 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.5 yr ± 1.80 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.0 yr (77.2–83.4) n=917 |
About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 1.80 years of 79.5, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.
More ZIPs to explore ▾More ZIPs to explore ▴
How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured